The invention relates to a load carrying apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus having a frame and platform which may be selectively attached, quickly mounted or demounted, on either the rear or side of a vehicle. The vehicle may be a car, a pick-up truck, a camper, or a van. When the apparatus is mounted on the rear of a vehicle, the load carried may be a motorcycle, a bike, a snowmobile, a trunk, any object or package which can be placed on the frame platform. When side mounted, the platform may be adapted for use as a porch, or to support a table, a workbench, or the like.
Vehicle attached package and article carriers are not new. Many types having various features and constructions are now in use. Many types are particularly constructed to carry one particular type of object, e.g., a motorcycle. Prior art relevant to the invention may be found in Class 224, Package and Article Carriers, subclass 42, Vehicle Attached, and in Class 214, Material or Article Handling, subclass 450, Vehicle Attached Article Carriers. The prior patent art has been reviewed and U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,098, Oct. 1975, Nicotra; U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,548, February 1968, Cooper; U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,520, May 1966, Van Dyke; et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,333, March 1974, Goldstein; U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,029, July 1971, Coffey; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,984, April 1974, Schwarz, et al, have been selected as the most pertinent prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,542, July 1972 , Prete, Jr., is pertinent to the clamping means 54 as disclosed herein.
A load carrying apparatus according to the invention has greater utility and many advantages over the prior art vehicle attached package and article carriers.